US4149670A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mark-sense card
Assignee: Securities Ind Automation Corp
•
Filing: 1976-10-14
•
Granted: 1979-04-17
•
Expires: 1996-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A mark-sense card is preprinted with alphameric characters one or more of which can be selectively activated by a stroke of a pencil or other writing implement. The card is also preprinted with at least one operator that can be selectively activated in a similar manner. The activated alphameric characters are to be interpreted in the normal way if the operator is not activated and in another way if the operator is activated. The addition of the operator thus greatly increases the amount of information that the card is capable of recording.
Inventors
- 👤 Clive W. Axelrod
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/04; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A machine-readable record adapted for data compression and comprising a plurality of visible indicia which when unmarked convey no information, at least one of which indicia can be selectively marked, said indicia when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means normally being given a first interpretation, and at least one visible operator that is associated with said plurality of indicia, that when unmarked conveys no information and that can be selectively marked, said operator when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means signifying that said selectively marked indicia are to be interpreted as though occurring an additional number of times or in a different order; whereby the meaning of said selectively marked indicia can be determined not from said selectively marked indicia alone but from said selectively marked indicia in conjunction with said operator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A machine-readable record adapted for data compression and comprising a plurality of visible indicia which when unmarked convey no information, at least one of which indicia can be selectively marked, said indicia when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means normally being given a first interpretation, and at least one visible operator that is associated with said plurality of indicia, that when unmarked conveys no information and that can be selectively marked, said operator when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means signifying that said selectively marked indicia are to be interpreted as though occurring an additional number of times or in a different order; whereby the meaning of said selectively marked indicia can be determined not from said selectively marked indicia alone but from said selectively marked indicia in conjunction with said operator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A machine-readable record according to claim 1 comprising a card adapted for optical scanning, said indicia and said operator being preprinted thereon and being activated by means of a writing implement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A machine-readable record according to claim 1 wherein said operator when so activated signifies that, if only one of said indicia is activated, it is to be interpreted as though two identical such indicia had been activated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A machine-readable record according to claim 1 wherein said operator when so activated signifies that, if only two of said indicia are activated, the order in which they are normally understood is to be reversed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
A machine-readable recording according to claim 1 wherein said operator when so activated signifies that, if only one of said indicia is activated, it is to be interpreted as though two identical such indicia had been indicated; and, if only two of said indicia are activated, the order in which they are normally understood is to be reversed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A machine-readable record according to claim 1 wherein said indicia comprise alphameric characters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
194 words
Apparatus comprising (a) a machine-readable record adapted for data compression and comprising a plurality of visible indicia which when unmarked convey no information, at least one of which indicia can be selectively marked, said indica when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means normally being given a first interpretation, and at least one visible operator that is associated with said plurality of indicia, that when unmarked conveys no information and that can be selectively marked, said operator when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means signifying that said selectively marked indicia are to be interpreted as though occurring an additional number of times or in a different order; (b) read means compatible with said record for scanning said record and generating signals representative of any and all marked operators and indicia thereon; and (c) computer means responsive to said signals for making a determination whether said at least one operator has been marked and for interpreting the signals representative of said selectively marked indicia not in accordance with said selectively marked indicia alone but in accordance with said selectively marked indicia in conjunction with said operator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
194 words
Apparatus comprising (a) a machine-readable record adapted for data compression and comprising a plurality of visible indicia which when unmarked convey no information, at least one of which indicia can be selectively marked, said indica when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means normally being given a first interpretation, and at least one visible operator that is associated with said plurality of indicia, that when unmarked conveys no information and that can be selectively marked, said operator when so marked and conveyed into cooperative relation to compatible read means signifying that said selectively marked indicia are to be interpreted as though occurring an additional number of times or in a different order; (b) read means compatible with said record for scanning said record and generating signals representative of any and all marked operators and indicia thereon; and (c) computer means responsive to said signals for making a determination whether said at least one operator has been marked and for interpreting the signals representative of said selectively marked indicia not in accordance with said selectively marked indicia alone but in accordance with said selectively marked indicia in conjunction with said operator.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of increasing the information that can be recorded on a deck of mark-sense cards, comprising the steps of (a) preforming at least one set of visible indicia which when unmarked convey no information on each of said mark-sense cards, at least one of which indicia of each set can be manually selectively marked, said indicia when so marked normally being given a first interpretation; (b) preforming at least one visible operator which when unmarked conveys no information on said mark-sense cards in association with each of said sets, which operator can be manually selectively marked, said operator when so marked signifying that said selectively-marked indicia of the associated set are to be interpreted as though occurring an additional number of times or in a different order; (c) selectively manually marking said plurality of indicia of each of said sets; (d) manually marking said at least one operator associated with selected ones of said sets; and (e) interpreting said selectively marked indicia not in accordance with said selectively marked indicia alone but in accordance with said selectively marked indicia in conjunction with said operators respectively associated therewith.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of increasing the information that can be recorded on a deck of mark-sense cards, comprising the steps of (a) preforming at least one set of visible indicia which when unmarked convey no information on each of said mark-sense cards, at least one of which indicia of each set can be manually selectively marked, said indicia when so marked normally being given a first interpretation; (b) preforming at least one visible operator which when unmarked conveys no information on said mark-sense cards in association with each of said sets, which operator can be manually selectively marked, said operator when so marked signifying that said selectively-marked indicia of the associated set are to be interpreted as though occurring an additional number of times or in a different order; (c) selectively manually marking said plurality of indicia of each of said sets; (d) manually marking said at least one operator associated with selected ones of said sets; and (e) interpreting said selectively marked indicia not in accordance with said selectively marked indicia alone but in accordance with said selectively marked indicia in conjunction with said operators respectively associated therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB817902A
Cited
US3527927A
Cited
US3380029A
Cited
US3626368A
Cited
US3869600A
Cited
US3845280A
Cited
US3886325A
Cited
US3925780A
Cited
US3941976A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-04-16 | 1982-10-16 | 1983-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-04-16 | 1986-10-16 | 1987-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-04-16 | 1990-10-16 | 1991-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |